Cajun musicians today still tend to come to the music through tradition, and T'Monde is no exception. This trio, made up of Drew Simon on accordion and vocals, Megan Brown on guitar and vocals, and Kelli Jones on fiddle and vocals, has a deep background in the Cajun tradition and pull from influences ranging from early country music, ancient French and Creole ballads, to present day Cajun music. Their second full-length studio album, Yesterday's Gone, was released in November 2015. With this rich 15-track album, you get your money's worth.

Unlike many Cajun bands, where vocals seem to almost be an afterthought, this trio's lilting voices are beautifully interwoven throughout the album. As an English monolingual person, sometimes it is challenging to review Cajun records as I miss out on the nuances of the lyrics. T'Monde excels at getting the lyrical sentiment of each song across even if one does not speak the language

Many of the songs on Yesterday's Gone circle around the universal language of love, romance, and heartbreak. 'My Life Will Continue, 'Knowing You Will Never Be Mine,' and 'Wedding Bells' are three of the best and heartstring-pulling songs on the record. On the other side, 'Kara's Bounce' and a beautiful version of 'Tiger Rag Blues' are upbeat and fun. The group also takes a few forays into the sounds of old-time country music with songs like 'Just Like Me' and 'When Did You Stop Loving Me."

T'Monde has shared the stage with some of Louisiana's top bands including the Pine Leaf Boys, Feufollet, and Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys. Although consisting of only three members, T'Monde brings their own wealth of musical knowledge to make a big sound. With their new album, "Yesterday's Gone," the band showcases their influences and musicianship which makes their sound so special.

Yesterday's Gone is available on mp3 and CD from T'Monde's website, iTunes, Amazon, and their record label, Valcour Records.

T'Monde will be appearing at the Eunice Mardi Gras on Saturday, February 6 and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on Thursday, April 28. See all of their upcoming Louisiana dates here.

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